PANINARO interview! anni 80 van's italia with ramon @bircide_il_paninaro November 03 2025

my obsession with the italian fashion subculture of the 80s goes back over 15 years. at last i have a long-awaited interview with the authority of the paninari, ramon bircide. check out his instagram here & the most extensive resource being his facebook page here!

(i apologise for anything lost in translation)

i understand timberland boots were the winter footwear of choice. what role did van's shoes play in the summer amongst converse, superga, nike (wimbledon)? 

Timberlands were worn in every season. In summer, the 2-eyelet model was used, both for sailing and the Scuppered model, which I managed to get the American company to re-produce under the name "Portofino". These models were characterised by a high white rubber sole that gave the shoe a unique style. Later, in the autumn season, there were the "Four Seasons" which had 3 eyelets and a sausage sole, always with a flat sole but not as white as the summer sailing boots. Finally, in winter, you could indulge yourself with the classic "tank" models, the "Chukka" models, and even the 6 and 8 inch boots! Canvas shoes were used in the spring and summer seasons. Vans were among the most sought-after and most expensive fabric shoes. Supergas were more for "Panelle" girls, or Paninare girls, and Nike Wimbledons were not used in the height of summer because they were made of leather, as they would burn your feet. Timberlands were still used, and Nike Wimbledons were mainly worn in autumn. before the great cold.

what were the van's shoe models that were popular? 

The most Paninaro-like Vans were the "Authentic" and the "Era", generally in one colour or two colours. In exceptional cases, the Slip On was also used, which were also more comfortable, but less fashionable than the Authentic.

from my research i observe the paninaro style was laceless, & mostly solid colours or 2-tones. do you remember seeing printed van's shoes? 

You said it right, who was Paninaro? The first thing he did to the "Authentic" and "Era" Vans was remove the laces and even go to the beach with them! The colors were generally pastel, blue, green, and orange were very popular, but without prints. The only thing I loved were the writing on the soles!

what about donald duck patches on jeans & van's?? legend has it a guy called max had the idea?!

I have never used Donald Duck Patches, but I used to draw the angry Duck directly on the Jeans with the Uniposca. I know Massimo Masseroni, but I didn't know it at the time, but he himself has declared several times that he was the creator of this Patch.

where were van's available in the 80s? did you buy your van's in skate shops at the time? 

I bought my first Vans in Turin in Via Roma, I never bought Vans in a skate shop, but simply in the well-stocked shops in the city centre.

do you know the shops ‘wp lavori in corso’? brands like barbour, filson & van's! 

I admit I'm not familiar with "Wp work in progress" stores, but I promise I'll look into it. I believe the future is increasingly virtual and less physical... a sign that the way we shop will change with a "click" from the comfort of our homes!

do you remember seeing any van's apparel at the time?

 Vans clothing wasn't in vogue in the 80s, apart from Vans shoes little was worn, but the "Authentic" was the most appropriate sneaker among the Paninari

why did we not see many high top van's? was it purely fashion or did you see links with skate or bmx? 

Skateboarding in Italy was popular in the very early 90s, something was seen at the end of the 80s, I have friends who still practice it in Milan, but personally I have never become part of this world, regarding Skateboarding I remember a magazine published by Edifumetto, which was edited by Davide Rossi, the Executive Director who in the 90s presented on a private network in Milan even a program dedicated to this discipline.

what other brands did you like wearing with your van's shoes? 

With the Vans on my feet I wore Stone Island jeans, the El Charro belt and the colorful Best Company, American System and Mistral t-shirts, but the list is really long... I also have a photo in which I wear the Vans without the laces, I don't remember if they were the "Authentic" or the "Era" also because the differences were really minimal, I'm attaching the photo The high-top Vans and Converse All Star shoes weren't very Paninara, let's say that some All Stars could be appreciated, but the Vans were worn exclusively low.

do you still wear van's shoes? is there a difference between them in the 80s compared to today?  

In my shoe rack I have about 20 pairs of VANS in the Authentic, Era and Slip On models, I love both the solid color and the colored models, but today there is more choice and you can indulge in online searches

i’m surprised to find no books published on paninaro culture. despite its fashion influence, why does the movement remain somewhat undocumented?

You haven't found books on the Paninara culture because maybe you haven't looked for them enough, speaking of the 80s I can mention ALL'INFINITO MONDO PANINARO written by Letizia Mottica and recently in 2013 I wrote one with Matteo Ranzi entitled IL RITORNO DEI PANINARI (1983 -2013) finally in 2022 I published BIRCIDE Il Paninaro a beautiful magazine that recalls the historic magazines of the 80s, I recommend buying it on Ebay or Vinted

lastly, what does it mean to you to align with paninaro culture? 

Inevitably, being a Paninari in the 1980s wasn't something for working-class kids. Often, there were those who felt socially adrift, almost excluded from certain friendships or groups, that if you didn't have Timberlands and an El Charro belt, you couldn't be part of them. It's hard to admit it, but unfortunately, it's the truth, and this is one of the saddest aspects of that period. It seems frivolous to point it out, but I know many adults who still carry these negative aspects of the past within themselves. I also met Paninari who had a different jacket every day, later discovering that they stole them, not by pointing a syringe or a knife, but simply by going to the disco and leaving with two jackets, one on top of the other... then there were the tense stories, namely those who actually stopped kids in the street and stole their Timberlands, making them go home barefoot... often even without socks if they were Burlingtons. In short, this is what I witnessed in my adolescence, including firsthand with regards to thefts, as I've repeatedly recounted in various newspaper and/or radio interviews over the past ten years. Furthermore, there were those who worked during the summer to be able to afford a Schott, others because they madly desired the fateful and much-coveted 125, which they often bought used because new was unattainable. For me, being a Paninari in the '80s didn't necessarily mean being a rich kid. As I often say, style isn't for sale; fortunately, that can't be bought with money, so even someone who was forced to save or skim off their pocket money to afford a pair of shoes or a jacket could be a Paninaro. Personally, I wasn't the son of a wealthy family and I hung out with friends who were partly the children of workers, but in the 1980s, having two parents with two incomes was enough, and life was certainly less expensive than it is today, especially in cities like Milan, where most people survive on rent. Milan is a city where you breathe that air of wanting to appear to be something you're not, and I think that's truly stupid, because beauty doesn't come from wealth, but from the virtues within each of us.

grazie mille ramon bircide!